Serendipity
by lachlanrose
Summary: Luck, serendipity and secrets. Sometimes the worst choices have the most interesting consequences. W/R
1. The Game

**Title:** Serendipity  
**Author: **lachlanrose  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine. But that Logan one sure does get the home fires burnin'... just sayin'.  
**Feedback:** Yes, please! With a harmonica on top. (Trust! It'll make sense eventually.) The good, the bad, the ugly, welcome. Flames may be publicly mocked. )  
**Summary:** Luck, serendipity and secrets. Sometimes the worst choices have the most interesting consequences. W/R  
**Notes:** "Hot, self-contained, morally ambiguous." That's what doctorg had to say about this one. Heh. I can't say I disagree (at least about the morally ambiguous part.). "Hot" is subjective…. and as for self-contained… well, let's just say the bunnies might be biting for a prequel. We'll see how this one goes over first. Maybe y'all won't want more. This one's a post Japan fic, and Logan and Marie are a little less with-it/together than I usually write them. Flawed characters are my favorite! It's also smutty as hell, so my usual warning goes double for this one. It's adult in theme and content. **You have been warned! **A big thank you to doctorg for the beta and to Blues Traveller for the line of borrowed lyrics. This one's just a short little two-parter. I know I promised Shine Against Me and it's coming, really…. but holy smokoly. These smutty bunnies have been multiplying like tribbles. WTH?

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**SERENDIPITY**

This is a bad fuckin' idea.

But then, why break with tradition?

Serendipity. That's how Marie says things work. Sometimes that's true... but I make my own damn luck. Hell, I'm not sure I ever had Lady Luck on my side. Least not in any of the years I remember. Tonight, serendipity had a little help from the Wolverine.

'Ro and Hank were back yappin' in Washington. Like that ever does shit for the cause? I've been in and outta this school for a decade now and the only thing that gets the job done where the rubber meets the road is a hot jab of adamantium — in triplicate. Still, I keep driftin' back through from time to time. More often now that 'Ro's runnin' things instead of Chuck and Jeannie.

There's a lotta shit from my distant past I can't remember. And some more recent shit I wish I didn't. But somethin' keeps pullin' me backta this place. I try not to think about what — or who — it might be. In my experience, nothin' good ever comes of rockin' that boat too hard. Been here a few weeks this time and I'm already itchin' to get movin' again.

Tonight I walked in on the Alpha team in the lower levels after hours, doin' shots and cuttin' loose pretty good — for a bunch of rookies. They still all look like kids to me. There was a bowl on the bar fulla the girls' keys and the guys were gettin' ready to pick sets. They wanted me to throw in. To join their dirty little game.

I told 'em to fuck off. I know how that game ends. But by the time I'd gotten my beer and was headed back out, the thought of Gumbo pickin' out Marie's keys and disappearin' with her for a few hours changed my mind, so I told 'em I'd play as long as I got to pick first.

Like I said, a bad fuckin' idea.

Bad — but damn fun.

Me and Marie have hooked up a few times over the years. It only happens when she's real drunk. She puts her hand up under my shirt and gives me this look that says she ain't playin'. And because I'm a bastard, I've never once walked away from that. Even the first two times when she was untouchable. Hell, even after she absorbed that bitch Carol and wasn't quite herself. Better me than some asshole who'd hurt her, you know? She went a little crazy for a few years after she got control of her skin, but even then I didn't tell her no, even though it ripped my guts out after when she'd walk away without lookin' back, and I knew it'd be back to pretendin' we didn't just fuck each other's brain's out come mornin'.

None of 'em know. I'm her dirty little secret. She don't ever lay a hand on me when she's sober. If I was a better man, I'd wonder what that means. But I ain't and I've never been strong enough to tell her no when she reaches for me with _that_ look on her and her scent gettin' to me so good. My life is pretty bleak. I'm not about to turn away somethin' that good, even if it comes with a helluva sting after.

The Firecracker held her hands over my eyes while I reached into the bowl, but even through the stink of her strawberry gum, I could pick Marie's keys out by scent, no problem.

See? That's how much of an asshole I am. I ain't above stackin' the deck to get a little time alone with my Mississippi Girl.

The other couples left by twos, meltin' into the night, some quietly, others with obvious enthusiasm for this evenin's entertainment, until it was just Marie and me, starin' at each other across the empty bowl, longnecks in hand.

She'd held her tongue until the others were gone, like I knew she would. She never tips her hand, but I could tell she was dyin' to let me have it. As I'd intended. I know she knows I do it on purpose. I like rilin' her up real good. Like it when she sasses me. She stared at me until the last couple was out of earshot. I didn't even try to keep the smirk offa my face. She was on me the second they were gone.

"You set that up!" Her eyes glittered with outraged laughter even as she was accusin' me.

To cop or not to cop? Fuck. Who'm I kiddin'? "Yep. Sure did." Big stupid grin on my face now. I can feel it, mostly because it's pretty damn rare. Smug bastard, that's me.

Hmmm... Serious look on her face now. "You mad, darlin'?"

She shook her head. "No." I didn't think she would be, but you never know with women, especially women who run so fuckin' hot and cold.

"Surprised?"

"No, not really." Now that brought my head up. She's never so certain of where she stands with me. With anyone, really. Bein' untouchable for so long fucked her up pretty good.

She laughed. "I'm not surprised you, um... finessed the outcome, sugar." She swatted my arm and her cheeks flushed a little. "I'm just surprised it was me, that's all."

"Truth?" She nodded. "I wouldn't fuck any of the others with Gumbo's dick." Christ. Jubilee's too damn much like family. Kitty still looks fourteen. Betsy's a bitch. Dani ain't my type, and butter wouldn't melt in Emma's mouth — much less a dick. The three others are so new I don't even know their names. But mostly I don't wanna hurt the kid. I ain't celibate. She ain't either. But I don't hunt at the school. I'm not that big a bastard. I don't got a lotta rules, but I generally try to avoid shit that'd hurt Marie. She's got enough shit on her plate without me addin' to it.

"I dunno about that, sugar. I saw you checking out Angelica the other day." Her teasin' voice. Big sparklin' eyes, too.

"Which one is she, again?"

"The redhead. Firestar."

"Mmph." Had my fill of those. She had a nice rack, is all.

Marie's is better. I'd know. I saw it a few nights back. We hooked up again a few days ago after more than a year of keepin' outta each other's way. Wound up down at the beach and then back at my place. That was a first for us. She ran like hell after. Tonight's the first time I've seen her since.

I wonder if us gettin' together had anythin' to do with her sensin' I'm about to get in the wind. She always seems to know when I'm fixin' to light out. If we're gonna hook up, it usually happens then. She usually ignores me after and then when I come back again, we're back to pretendin' we ain't anythin' more than teammates. It's fucked up, but neither of us are exactly relationship material.

I know me pickin' her keys tonight don't mean shit. It ain't an automatic invitation to gettin' it on. Hell, I bet the little iceprick's gonna go off and play Go Fish or somethin' with his date. It's just with Marie... well, I have an advantage with her knowin' I'm probably gonna go soon, and I ain't above usin' it. I wasn't expectin' what happened on the beach — and afterwards — but even with what happened, well that small taste of her that I got only whetted my appetite for more.

We haven't ever talked about it. Never hammered any of that heavy shit out. Not sure we ever will. But that's not what tonight's about. Tonight I just wanna have a little fun with her. See her cut loose. That teasin' light in her eye says she's ripe for it too. She picked up her bottle and lifted her eyebrow at me, fingers playin' absently with the neck in a way that made my jaw clench and my blood pool hot and heavy between my legs.

She waved it at me. "So, Mr. 'Yep. Sure did', did you have anything else planned or are you winging it from here on out?" She was laughin' a little as she said it, but there was a hint of somethin' in her voice that I didn't like. Well, let's just get this settled right the fuck now.

"I wasn't expectin' anythin' more than spendin' a little time with ya, kid." And that's the damn truth, whatever the rest of those little dumbasses think. Well, that and if she was with me, she wasn't with anyone else. I wanted her, sure, but I wasn't expectin' nothin'. I touched her cheek real soft. "What happens now is up to you." A moment of understandin' passed between us. She nodded. I shrugged.

Her laughter was rich and warm. "Deal. Though I suppose board games are off the table? No cutthroat Monopoly or dirty Scrabble?"

She was askin' for it and I love to deliver. "Honey, if I'm gonna be usin' words like 'fuck' and 'blowjob' with you, you can bet your sweet ass there ain't gonna be a game between us." Christ, I love her laugh. Didn't miss the quick look she shot my groin, either. I wonder if she knew she just wet her lips? Wonder if she knew it made me harder than a fuckin' rock?

I grabbed the bottle from her fingers and pitched it aside. "You wanna go cause a little trouble? Make some noise? Music? Dancin'?" I grabbed her hand and gave her a twirl. Girl can move. We ain't Fred and Ginger, but we've managed a decent two-step once or twice over the years.

Her smile was infectious. "You wanna go loud? Can you and I even do that without a bottle?" For all her sassin', I noticed she didn't let my hand go.

"Dunno. I'm game if you are."

"You should know better than to dare the Rogue."

"Yep." I really should. But I also knew I wasn't gonna give up a shot at passin' a few real nice hours with her.

Before she could change her mind, I kissed her. Five alarm stunner, right there in the hangar. I took the beat-up cowboy hat from my head and dropped it on hers as I pulled her into the hall. It was a good look on her.

She blushed as a low groan followed by a soft feminine giggle echoed down the hallway. It showed a bit of her innocence, somethin' that fired my blood hotter than the distant sounds of sex ever could. I gave her a pointed look. "So, where to, darlin'?" I put my hand at her back and waited for her to lead the way. Lotsa choices in a place this damn big. Sauna. Gym. Pool. Library. Garage. Always did wanna have her bent over my bike.

She shook her head at me and smiled shyly. "You pick, Logan."

You know, this night's just gettin' better and better. I led her up, through the house, past her room. Past my old room. There was no way in hell I was gonna to take her there. Too many bad memories. Besides, I wanted privacy. Somewhere we could make some serious noise.

I knew just the place I wanted to go...

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Up next: **The Dance**. Logan and Marie find a quiet place to go loud…

(Any guesses where they wind up?) Heh.


	2. The Dance

I led Marie past another silent hallway. Down the back stairs. Through the den to the readin' room. Bingo. Small round room, bookshelves to the tops of the vaulted ceilings. No windows. One door — that locked. I'd know. I put the lock on it myself a few months back. This was one of my favorite rooms at the school. Private. Quiet. Don't get much traffic. Low bench seat that hugged the curved walls all the way around the room. Fuckin' _cherry_ sound system. Primo Chinese silk carpet. Red. I heard it was a gift from Gumbo. Which makes the idea of havin' Marie on it all the better.

I gave Marie a long look. That hat she was wearin' was givin' me ideas. We needed music. Somethin' good. Jazz maybe. Blues. Somethin' with soul. I wanted to see her move. Hell, I wanted to feel her move.

Now, for as much as I'm the kind of man who hasta make his own fuckin' luck, when I clicked on the radio, it was pure serendipity. Blues Traveler. Run-Around. Couldn't be any more perfect. She'd been givin' me the fuckin' runaround since Laughlin City. We both chuckled. It felt good. Things were still pretty fucked up between us, but once we were both on board with gettin' together, things usually clicked pretty good. Easy. At least until after. I guess we'd come far enough that we could laugh a little about it now. It also felt good because the mood was lighter, without the desperate edge we had last time.

I cranked it up. Way the hell up. That sweet harmonica wailed. Marie tipped my hat and gave me a sexy look from under the brim. I know an invite when I see one. She's one helluva dancer, too. Not in the usual style, though. She don't know the latest steps and she needs a strong partner, but she sure can move. Feels the music with total abandon. All sensual and wild. She's graceful but there's a power in her. She's real strong for a woman. I like the way she moves with me, confident in her body but receptive to direction. She dances like she fucks and it makes me crazy.

I pulled her closer and put her back to my front. Left my hand on her belly and ground against her ass as I used my chest to move her forward and the hand I had on her stomach to keep her right with me when I straightened. Kissed her neck. Her sweet scent was growin' stronger as her body warmed.

_Why you wanna give me a runaround?  
Is it a sure-fire way to speed things up  
When all it does is slow me down?_

We both smiled at the chorus. "Didn't slow me down, honey."

"Much."

I chuckled at her sass and nuzzled her ear, flickin' my tongue over that spot I know drives her wild. She shivered in my arms and we rocked rhythmically, She was all fire and smoke, movin' with me so sweet.

_But I want more than a touch, I want you to reach me  
And show me all the things no one else can see  
So what you feel becomes mine as well..._

Was this our song or what? The chorus came again and she giggled when that fat bastard wailed 'runaround'. I smacked her ass and growled in her ear. "No more runnin' me around now, baby."

"No, no more, sugar."

Not tonight, anyway. She melted into me.

I held her tighter. The song ended. Another came on. I was too wrapped up in her to pay attention to the words this time. We kept on movin'. Hot and heavy. Rubbin' and grindin'. Foreplay more'n actual dancin'. I broke a sweat. Parted from her long enough to pull my tank off and she followed my lead, peelin' off her shirt and tossin' it aside with a dirty wink over her shoulder as she put my hat back on. Jesus. That hat on her... Pretty little skirt and a sheer black bra. I'd looked down her front plenty, but all that long, wild hair of hers hid a lotta skin. I hadn't gotten the full-on front view yet, but the back view was fuckin' doin' it for me, bub.

With a growl, I pulled her back to me. The music pounded on. Our bare feet slid sensuously over the thick silk rug. My chest slid against her back. Sweaty and warm, we gave ourselves over to the music.

I don't know how long we moved together like that. Long enough that my temples were wet and wisps of her hair clung to her neck. We didn't stop until we were both breathin' hard and ready for somethin' more satisfyin' than the grind of sweaty, half-clothed bodies. I finally lowered the radio and we shared a laugh as a muffled, "Fucking finally!" echoed from somewhere far away.

I turned her in my arms and sucked in a deep breath as I got my first good look at her. Christ. I'd already seen the faint bruise I'd left on her wrist, but it was nothin' compared to the colorful bite mark I'd left on her breast. Even through the sheer black bra, I could see the smudges of purple ringed in green. Fuck. I knew I hadn't been gentle with her that night on the beach... but Jesus, I hadn't imagined a mark like _that_. I was shocked — but there was some part of me that liked seein' my mark on her more'n I should. It made me remember what her skin felt like under my mouth. It made me want to put my mouth on her again and fuck her and own her until — well, I dunno what comes after that.

She saw where I was lookin' and color rose on her cheeks but she didn't look away from me. "It looks worse than it really is." She touched my shoulder where she'd bitten me too. The mark was long gone, but I still felt it. She'd claimed me too. At least for a little while.

"Jesus, kid." I covered her breast with my palm and kissed her as gently as I could with the blood rushin' so wild under my skin.

"Please don't say you're sorry."

I didn't because I wasn't. What we did that night was wild and a little out of control but it was beautiful too, and I wouldn't change a single bit of it. Not even to take away the marks. Maybe especially not to take away the marks. "I'm not sorry," I paused to kiss her again, pullin' off the hat and tossin' it away so I could kiss her more deeply. Part of me wondered if anyone else would see it before it faded; a thought that was disturbin' on a number of levels.

Still, I wasn't about to spend this night thinkin' on 'what if' when I had her in my arms. I planned on enjoyin' the hell out of her company tonight. I kissed her slow and deep, toyin' with the strap of her bra but not slidin' it down just yet, mostly because I knew she wanted me to. Like I said, I like her all riled up.

I deepened the kiss and fit her hips to mine, hands on her ass, rockin' her into me. I swallowed her little moans, smilin' into her mouth as I felt her fingers clutch at my shoulders. She nipped my chin and moved to my neck, swirlin' that wicked tongue of hers on that shivery spot under my ear, all the while purrin' in her throat at what my hands were doin' to her.

Her mouth left my neck for a moment. "Logan?"

"Mmmm...?" I answered her but I didn't stop playin' with her wild hair, or stop teasin' her nipples. She's real sensitive, real responsive and I love the little sounds she makes when I really get her goin'.

"You know... the beach. You gave me what I wanted—" her breath hitched as I pinched her nipple. "Tonight I wanna give you what you want." At her words, a wave of heat passed through me so strongly that I swayed on my feet. "Tell me?" Little kisses down my neck. "Please?" Jesus. A slideshow of carnal possibilities played behind my eyes. Blood roared in my ears and I felt it pound between my legs.

"You sure you really want me to, honey?" I'm no Boy Scout. I've been around; seen and done more than most people have ever even heard about. Compared to me, she's still a kid even with all the shit in her head. I wonder if she considered that before askin' the question. Probably. It don't matter anyway. Even with all the wild things I've done, there's only one thing my mind keeps returnin' to.

"I'm sure." Her voice was breathless and husky. Already anticipatin' my next words, I shifted her, pushin' my leg between hers and helped her ride my thigh as we kissed; a kiss she broke to whisper against my mouth, "I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't sure, sugar."

I nodded and caught her wrist, bringin' her hand between my legs and pressin' it hard against the hard bulge just under my buckle. "I want your mouth here." I thrust a little against her hand; the animal was ridin' me pretty hard. That was what I kept seein' behind my eyes. It was a powerful image. Her on her knees, suckin' me.

Swallowin' me.

I wouldn't ask for that, but I still wanted it. Wanted as much of me inside her as I could get. Wanted to share that intimacy with her. It was somethin' we hadn't done at the beach or in my bed or any of the other handful of times we'd been together. Both of us had been too desperate to fit our bodies together. Usually hard and fast from behind; a little rough. A little wild. Tonight it felt like we had all the time in the world to savor each other. "I want you to suck me." Crude words, but I said them the way they felt inside and they sounded real soft in my ears. I felt her smile against my skin.

She reached for me and I stopped her. I fingered her remainin' clothes lightly and told her about the image in my head. Told her how I imagined her. That I wanted to see her beautiful body naked and kneelin' in front of me. Eyes wild as hell and that full, red mouth wet and open. That I wanted to watch her pretty face as she sucked and kissed on me. That the thought of her dark hair teasin' over my skin made my hands shake. I told her other things too, things only for her ears.

I love that kind of sex, especially when it's with a woman I care deeply for. It's only happened once or twice, but when my heart's involved, what excites me ain't the act as much as the connection between us, learnin' about her as she touches me. I love women. I love touchin' 'em and bein' touched by 'em. An exchange of intimate secrets. That's what I wanted with Marie. It's discoverin' the secrets that unlock each other that's always been the best part for me.

There was a softness about her that made me want to dive inside her and learn all her secrets, but I promised her I wouldn't. I wanted to take my time with her, to enjoy the slow revelation of each other's secrets over time. We're both too screwed up for anythin' more right now.

Marie's one of the most hedonistic women I've ever met. I expected to enjoy it. I didn't expect to feel… savored. But that's the only word to describe it. Everythin' she did was not only designed to make me feel good, but to show me that she got pleasure out of pleasurin' me. That she liked the way my body looked wearin' nothin' but her hands and mouth. That she liked the way I felt; soft skin, crisp hair, solid muscles, thick hard cock. That my scent turned her on. That the sounds I made as she sucked at me drove her wild. That she was as eager to taste me as I'd been to taste her.

So pretty, kneelin' naked on that red carpet. What I remember most is that she was smilin' as she touched me. Well, that and the fact that she took her time to discover me with all her senses, returnin' to those things that made my breathin' change and my hands clench.

I was already hard when she touched me. At first, she simply held me in her hand, nothin' more than that. She grinned and whispered to me that she could feel my heartbeat. She nuzzled me. I saw her chest rise as she breathed me in, heard her hum of pleasure as she blew warm air over me. Jesus, fuck. That was good. But not nearly enough.

Her hands stroked. Her tongue licked and when she blew again, it felt cool, not warm. She kissed the drop from the tip and held my eyes as she milked another from me and kissed that one away too, teasin' the head with little flicks of her tongue. That was a wicked thing she had goin' on there. Wicked.

My hips arched, pushin' me closer to that sweet mouth of hers. "Christ, darlin'. Suck me..." I shuddered when she did. I slipped my fingers into her hair and braced my legs, leanin' back into the door as she suckled, teasin' me with lips and tongue and teeth. Windin' me up. My hips were rockin'.

"Oh, God..."

Breathin' deeper now. Faster. Beginnin' to thrust. She sucked harder, swirlin' her tongue, grazin' me with her teeth, not teasin' now. Coaxin'. My hand cupped her nape, needin' that connection. That intimacy. Her hand slipped between her legs and returned, caressin' me with slippery strokes behind my balls.

"Unngh... Jesus!" Openly pantin'. Felt it rise in me. "Close, I'm close, honey..." She didn't stop. I didn't either. Couldn't. That sweet suction. Her fingers strokin'. Pressin'. She hummed around me, hand on my ass shovin' me in deep. White implosion. I came. Hard. Shoutin'. Her name? Cursin'? I wasn't sure. She swallowed around me, her hand on my stomach rubbin' soothingly as I rode it out. I sank to my knees after. And you want to know the best part? The fuckin' best part?

She was smilin' when she reached for me.

She held me while I caught my breath, still takin' me in with all her senses, even now. It made me even more aware of my own. The feel of the soft carpet under me. The scent of leather from the books. The scent of her arousal, sweet and earthy in this enclosed place. The sound of our breathin' in the quiet room; mine harsh and ragged, hers deep and heavy with unspent passion. The contrast of her dark hair fanned over my fair skin. It tickled. The taste of her in my mouth. She was still smilin'. I could feel it against my neck.

I rolled her under me and smiled back, slidin' my hand between her legs. She was closer than I thought. My smile got bigger. I put my lips to her ear and told her exactly how good she'd just made me feel. How much I liked what I saw. How her swallowin' me down made me come so damn hard. It was dirty and crude and honest. She came on my fingers, gaspin' my name against my throat as she did. Gotta fix that in my head. Somethin' to take with me. To keep me warm on the road.

I pulled the cushions to the floor and got comfortable, leanin' back against the bench as I guided her over my lap and held her against my chest. It wasn't sexual, just intimate. For the first time, she didn't run after. We talked a little between rounds – and there were plenty of those – conversations sparked by the hundreds of titles that lined the walls above us and by the things that had happened between us this week.

When we opened that door again, I still didn't know all her secrets, but I knew a few... and had given up a few of mine too.

Before we left I put my hat back on her head and kissed her goodbye, slow and deep. She knew what it meant, and what it didn't. She sauntered off without a backwards glance, hips swingin', and I watched her go. Walkin' this time, not runnin'. Goddamn devil in the details. It only made me wanna get in the wind that much faster. I had no idea what I'd do if she came to me and stuck her hands under my shirt, stone cold sober.

Fuck it all. We knew whatever we had was stronger than both of us. Hard people like the Rogue and me, we make our own way, right or wrong. Sometimes the choices we make are wrong as fuck, and sometimes they work out okay, but either way, they always seem to end us back here.

Serendipity, dumb fuckin' luck, or maybe just goddamn stubbornness. Hard to tell which, but as the motorcycle revved between my legs, I knew sooner or later we'd find out.

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Feedback is love. :)

**Author's Note**: Sorry for the posting delay y'all. I've had the black plague/red death/flu. I'm still under the influence of some pretty amazing cough syrup, so read at your own risk! Heh.

Okay, so the bunnies are biting and the question is, if the little bastards cooperate, is anyone interested in hearing about what happened between them at the beach… and then later at Logan's place? Just wondering.

Up next: **The Gift**. There's just something about getting away on vacation that makes it easier to give in and do all the things you'd never dream of doing back home…

The Gift is just a little three-parter… and then hopefully I can wrestle all these naughty bunnies into submission and get the first chapter of Shine Against Me posted.

Fingers crossed!


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